July 21, 2011
Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov
Michael Curie
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
michael.curie@nasa.gov
Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 11-240
NASA'S PROUD SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ENDS WITH ATLANTIS LANDING
Agency Ushers In Next Era Of Exploration
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Wrapping up 30 years of unmatched achievements
and blazing a trail for the next era of U.S. human spaceflight,
NASA's storied Space Shuttle Program came to a "wheels stop" on
Thursday at the conclusion of its 135th mission.
Shuttle Atlantis and its four-astronaut crew glided home for the final
time, ending a 13-day journey of more than five million miles with a
landing at 5:57 a.m. EDT at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
It was the 26th night landing (20th night and 78th total landings at
Kennedy) and the 133rd landing in shuttle history.
"The brave astronauts of STS-135 are emblematic of the shuttle program
-- skilled professionals from diverse backgrounds who propelled
America to continued leadership in space with the shuttle's many
successes," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "This final
shuttle flight marks the end of an era, but today, we recommit
ourselves to continuing human spaceflight and taking the necessary -
and difficult - steps to ensure America's leadership in human
spaceflight for years to come."
Since STS-1 launched on April 12, 1981, 355 individuals from 16
countries flew 852 times aboard the shuttle. The five shuttles
traveled more than 542 million miles and hosted more than 2,000
experiments in the fields of Earth, astronomy, biological and
materials sciences.
The shuttles docked with two space stations, the Russian Mir and the
International Space Station. Shuttles deployed 180 payloads,
including satellites, returned 52 from space and retrieved, repaired
and redeployed seven spacecraft.
The STS-135 crew consisted of Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug
Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim. They
delivered more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, spare equipment and
other supplies in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module -
including 2,677 pounds of food - that will sustain space station
operations for the next year. The 21-foot long, 15-foot diameter
Raffaello brought back nearly 5,700 pounds of unneeded materials from
the station.
A welcome-home ceremony for the astronauts will be held Friday, July
22, in Houston. The public is invited to attend the 4 p.m. CDT event
at NASA's Hangar 990 at Ellington Field. Gates to Ellington Field
will open at 3:30 p.m. The ceremony will be broadcast live on NASA
Television. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to
streaming video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
STS-135 was the 135th and final shuttle flight, Atlantis' 33rd flight
and the 37th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and
maintenance.
For more information about the STS-135 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
For information about the space station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
For information on NASA's future exploration activities, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/next
-end-